Packer unit for wells



1 a l. L

1954 M. E. LONGEVAL ETAL 2,694,453

PACKER UNIT FOR WELLS Filed June 2, 1953 Hg- 2 y- 2 g R 3 1 g w 15 A ,4I /\r x 4V 14 HQ A 9 9 I I mvsm'ons Marcel Ellonyeval Florence .L.Sieiner BY Carl Steiner ATTORN EYS United States 2,694,453 Patented Nov.16, 1954 PACKER UNIT FOR WELLS Marcel E. Longeval, Sacramento, andFlorence L. Steiner and Carl Steiner, River Pines, Calif.

Application June 2, 1953, Serial No. 359,089

2 Claims. (Cl. 166-187) The present invention is directed to, and it isa major object to provide, an improved packer unit for 011, gas, orwater wells; the purpose of the device being to seal off the well at apredetermined point so as to isolate one formation or strata fromanother, or to permit positioning of various types of tools in the wellat a selected level, or for operations such as swabbing, washing,cementing, sampling, etc., in the well.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a novel packerunit which includes a normally contracted but expansible packer head,with advantageous packer unit for wells which is designed for ease andeconomy of manufacture, convenience of control, and positive action.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical,reliable, and durable packer unit for wells, and one which will beexceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the device as suspended in a well,with the parts in their initial position: i. e. with the packer headcontracted.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but shows the packer head expanded intogripping engagement with the side wall of the well.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the packer unit is here shown as suspended in a well, whoseside wall is indicated at 1; the device being interposed in the stringof drill pipe or tubing, particularly between an upper section 2 of thetubing, and a lower section 3 thereof.

At its lower end the upper section 2 of the tubing is threaded, as at 4,into an upstanding neck 5 formed centially on the head 6 of a downwardlyopening cylinder The lower edge of the cylinder 7 is inwardly chamfered,as at 8, to form a relatively sharp edge 9 whose purpose is to cut awayany small obstructions which may be encountered as the cylinder 6 islowered into the well 1 by the string of the tubing.

A suspension tube 10 is fixed at its upper end centrally in connectionwith the head 6, and communicates with the upper section 2 of tubing.

From the head 6 the suspension tube 10 extends downwardly to a lower endtermination a substantial distance below the lower end of the cylinder7.

At its lower end the suspension tube 10 is threaded, as at 11, into acoupling 12, and into which coupling the upper ends of the lower section3 of tubing is also threaded, as at 13.

A piston 14 is reciprocably disposed in the cylinder 7 and carriesoutside piston rings 15 and inside piston rings 16 which run in sealingrelation with the cylinder 7 and suspension tube 10, respectively;rubber 0 type rings being preferred.

The piston 14 is normally in a raised position, as in Fig. 1, and apacker head 17 surrounds the suspension tube 10 between a shoulderedseat 18 on the lower end of the piston 14, and a shouldered seat 19 onthe upper end of the coupling 12.

The packer head 17 is an initially elongated sleeve-like body ofrelatively soft, compressible but resilient material, such as rubber.

The packer head 17 preferably is of somewhat enlarged diameter below thecylinder 7, although such diameter, in the starting shape of said packerhead, is of considerably lesser outside diameter than the insidediameter of the well.

A valve regulated, fiuid pressure supply conduit 20 leads from thesurface downwardly in the well alongside the string of tubing, and atits lower end said conduit is connected by a union 21 with a nipple 22threaded through the head 6 of the cylinder 7, communicating with theinterior of the latter.

When the packer unit is in use it is lowered by the string of tubing toa predetermined point in the well; the piston 14 normally being held inits raised position by the uncompressed packer head 17.

After the packer unit is located at such predetermined position in thewell, fluid pressure is supplied through conduit 20 into the cylinder 7,causing the piston 14 to forcefully travel downwardly therein. With suchdownward travel of the piston 14 the packer head 17 is compressed orreduced in its effective length, causing radial expansion or bulging ofsuch packer head into positive sealing and holding engagement with theside wall 1 of the well in the manner shown in Fig. 2; the pressurebeing maintained in the cylinder 7 and on the piston 14 during theperiod that the packer unit is in use.

With radial expansion or bulging of the packer head 17 into positiveholding engagement with the side wall 1 of the Well, the string oftubing is effectively anchored in the well for the subsequent conduct ofoperations such as those aforementioned, either above or below thepacker unlt.

After the operations in the well have been completed the fluid pressuresupplied by conduit 20 is relieved, whereupon the packer head17--because of its resiliencyresumes its initial elongated condition,and the diameter reduces to lesser than that of the well, whereby theunit may then be readily withdrawn from said well.

In order to permit of ready removal of the packer head from thesuspension tube 10, as for the purpose of replacement, the coupling 12is formed with opposed spanner wrench holes 23, so that such a wrenchmay be employed to easily remove said coupling 12 from the lower end ofsaid suspension tube 10. The packer head then can be slipped off of thesuspension tube without difiiculty, and a new head replaced.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrommay be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of theinvention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A packing unit for a well comprising an elongated tubular memberadapted to be interposed between adjacent lengths of drill pipe and tobe connected thereto in alinement therewith, a cylinder of smallerdiameter than the well surrounding and secured at its upper end to themember at its upper end and concentric therewith, the cylinder beingopen at its lower end, a piston slidable in the cylinder and on theadjacent portion of the member, means to introduce fluid under pressureinto the cylinder above the piston, an elongated packer head ofcompressible and resilient material surrounding and slidable on themember below the piston, the upper end of the head being connected tothe lower end of the piston, and a stop on the member below andsupporting the lower end of the packer head; the head being arranged sothat when said head is in its normal uncompressed condition, the pistonwill be disposed adjacent the upper end of the cylinder.

2. A structure as in claim 1, in which the central portion of the packerhead curves at its ends radially inward to provide end portions ofsmaller diameter relative to the diameter of the central portion of thehead.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number 5 672,475 1,801,3531,850,218

UNITED STATES PATENTS

